5.2-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Nepal Hours After Tremor Triggered Deadly Floods

Amid flash floods that killed over 150 people, an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 struck the Rasuwa region of Nepal on Wednesday evening, hours after a lower-intensity tremor reportedly triggered the devastation.

Preliminary reports said the 5.2-magnitude earthquake's epicentre was located about 55 kilometres northwest of Kodari, an area prone to landslides.

Details regarding the earthquake's depth and the extent of the damage caused were not immediately available.

Relief and rescue operations are currently underway in Rasuwa following the floods. The latest earthquake has heightened anxiety among the people in the affected areas.

At least 157 people were killed and hundreds remained missing after flash floods hit the Nepal-Tibet border region, reports as of 11:55 pm said. Among those missing are at least 133 Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar.

The Nepal police have recovered 157 bodies and officers are working towards moving families from flood-risk areas. At least 403 tourists, 341 of them foreigners, were unaccounted for several hours after the disaster struck, according to the tourism ministry.

The missing foreigners included 142 Indians, as well as others from Australia, Britain, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea and the United States, the tourism board said.

Nepalese rescuers are racing against time to find survivors and bodies buried under the slush, with Prime Minister Balendra Shah pledging all government resources to relief work.

The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River around 9 am (local time) as it crossed over from the Tibet side. Rasuwa and Dhading, bordering Tibet, and Nuwakot were among the affected districts.